Daniel 1 · Verse 10

Daniel 1:10

And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
Daniel 1:10, King James Version

Daniel 1:10 in other translations

BSBbut he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”
WEBThe prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? Then you would endanger my head with the king.”
ASVAnd the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths that are of your own age? so would ye endanger my head with the king.
YLTand the chief of the eunuchs saith to Daniel, ‘I am fearing my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink, for why doth he see your faces sadder than those of the lads which are of your circle? then ye have made my head indebted to the king,'
DARBYAnd the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king who hath appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces worse liking than the youths who are of your age? and ye would endanger my head with the king.
BBEAnd the captain of the unsexed servants said to Daniel, I am in fear of my lord the king, who has given orders about your food and your drink; what if he sees you looking less happy than the other young men of your generation? then you would have put my head in danger from the king.
WebsterAnd the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your provision and your drink: for why should he see your faces more meager than the children who are of your sort? then will ye make me endanger my head to the king.

What does Daniel 1:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. worse liking--looking less healthy. your sort--of your age, or class; literally, "circle." endanger my head--An arbitrary Oriental despot could, in a fit of wrath at his orders having been disobeyed, command the offender to be instantly decapitated.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Daniel 1:8-16

The interest we think we make for ourselves, we must acknowledge to be God's gift. Daniel was still firm to his religion. Whatever they called him, he still held fast the spirit of an Israelite. These youths scrupled concerning the meat, lest it should be sinful. When God's people are in Babylon they need take special care that they partake not of her sins. It is much to the praise of young people, not to covet or…

Read the full comment on Daniel 1:8-16 →

Daniel 1:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֜אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
שַׂ֤רsar[the] chief ofH8269
הַסָּרִיסִים֙ha.sa.ri.Simthe officialsH5631
לְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אלle.Da.ni.Yelto DanielH1840
יָרֵ֤אya.Re'[am] fearingH3373
אֲנִי֙'a.NiIH589
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֲדֹנִ֣י'a.do.Nimaster myH113
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhoH834
מִנָּ֔הmi.Nahhe has assignedH4487
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
מַאֲכַלְכֶ֖םma.'a.khal.Khemfood yourH3978
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
מִשְׁתֵּיכֶ֑םmish.tei.Khemdrink yourH4960
אֲשֶׁ֡ר'a.SherthatH834
לָמָּה֩la.Mah<to> why?H4100
יִרְאֶ֨הyir.'Ehwill he seeH7200
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
פְּנֵיכֶ֜םpe.nei.Khemfaces yourH6440
זֹֽעֲפִ֗יםzo.'a.Fimlooking thinH2196
מִן\־min-more thanH4480
הַיְלָדִים֙hay.la.Dimthe youthsH3206
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhoH834
כְּגִֽילְכֶ֔םke.gi.le.Khem[are] about age yourH1524
וְחִיַּבְתֶּ֥םve.chi.yav.Temand you will endangerH2325
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
רֹאשִׁ֖יro.Shihead myH7218
לַמֶּֽלֶךְ\׃la.Me.lekhto the kingH4428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Daniel 1:10

  • Matthew 6:16-18

    Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

  • John 12:42-43

    Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

  • Proverbs 29:25

    The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I fear.
Pr 29:25; Joh 12:42,43
worse liking. Heb. sadder.
Mt 6:16-18
sort. or, term, or continuance.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Daniel 1:9

    Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

  • Daniel 1:10

    And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

  • Daniel 1:11

    Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

Read all of Daniel 1

Daniel 1:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y dijo el príncipe de los eunucos á Daniel: Tengo temor de mi señor el rey, que señaló vuestra comida y vuestra bebida; pues luego que él habrá visto vuestros rostros más tristes que los de los muchachos que son semejantes á vosotros, condenaréis para con el rey mi cabeza.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et le prince des eunuques dit à Daniel: Je crains le roi mon seigneur, qui a prescrit votre nourriture et votre boisson; car pourquoi verrait-il vos visages plus tristes que ceux des jeunes gens de votre âge? Et vous exposeriez ma tête auprès du roi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und der Oberste der Kämmerer sprach zu Daniel: Ich fürchte meinen Herrn, den König, der eure Speise und euer Getränk verordnet hat; denn warum sollte er sehen, daß eure Angesichter verfallener wären als die der Jünglinge eures Alters, so daß ihr meinen Kopf beim König verwirktet?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et ait princeps eunuchorum ad Danielem: Timeo ego dominum meum regem, qui constituit vobis cibum et potum: qui si viderit vultus vestros macilentiores præ ceteris adolescentibus coævis vestris, condemnabitis caput meum regi.